On the day of the apocalypse, a sense of impending doom weighed heavily on me, though I had steeled myself for what was to come. I woke up early, the air thick with a foreboding stillness, and headed to the street, ready to face the chaos. Leaving my parents behind was one of the hardest decisions I’d ever made, but I knew they would only slow me down in the madness that was about to unfold. They were good people, but survival demanded ruthless choices.

The hours dragged on, with the world around me blissfully unaware of the catastrophe about to strike. I watched the clock, every tick amplifying the tension in the air. Then, when the clock struck 8:30, the world as we knew it came to a sudden, violent end. The sky above me darkened almost instantly, the bright blue swallowed by a menacing crimson hue. Dark clouds swirled together, forming ominous patterns, and then, as if the heavens themselves had been torn open, it began to rain—not water, but thick, dark blood. The sight was surreal, something out of a nightmare, but I found myself grinning despite the horror. It was like watching the opening act of a play I had long anticipated.

Around me, people began to react, their faces etched with fear and confusion. Panic spread like wildfire as they realized this wasn’t some twisted trick of nature. Screams echoed through the streets, and the once orderly city descended into chaos. But my focus was elsewhere, on the sky above. Then it happened—the first pillar broke through the clouds with a deafening roar, its massive form slamming into the earth with a force that shook the ground beneath my feet. It was quickly followed by another, and then another, until all 13 pillars had appeared across the Korean peninsula. Each pillar was a towering monolith, radiating an ancient power that made the air hum with energy. The symbols carved into their surfaces glowed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat, and I felt the pull of their power within me. My body became lighter, almost weightless, as if the pillars were drawing something out of me.

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning—I needed to find Khan. He was the only one who could help me navigate the nightmare that had just begun. Without a second thought, I took off running, my feet barely touching the ground. It felt like I was flying, the world blurring past me as I sped towards Gyeonggi-do. What should have been an hour-long journey took me mere minutes.

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When I arrived, the sight before me was both terrifying and exhilarating. Khan was in the middle of a fierce battle with a dire wolf, its massive form towering over him. The beast's fur was matted with blood, its eyes glowing with a savage hunger. Khan was holding his own, but I could see he was struggling. The dire wolf lunged at him, its jaws snapping inches from his face, but before it could strike, I moved. With a strength I hadn’t known I possessed, I grabbed the dire wolf by its tail and yanked it away from Khan, throwing it to the ground with a force that surprised even me.

"Are you alright?" I asked, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me.

Khan looked up at me, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and relief. "Yeah, I’m fine," he panted, struggling to catch his breath. "But what the hell is going on?"

"I don’t know exactly," I lied, keeping my voice calm. "But we need to stay on our guard. This isn’t over yet. How are your parents doing?" I asked, trying to divert the conversation away from my own situation.

"They’re fine for now," Khan replied, his gaze still darting around, wary of another attack. "How about yours?"

A pang of guilt twisted in my chest, but I pushed it aside. "They died as soon as this pil... I mean, as soon as this crazy shit started," I said, almost slipping up and mentioning the pillars.

"Damn, I’m sorry for your loss, bro," Khan said empathetically.

"It’s okay. I’ll be fine. You stay here until I get back. I need to grab a few things," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Like what?" Khan asked, puzzled.

I looked at him seriously. "You mean you’re going after it," Khan said, surprised. "I mean, it’s a cool-looking sword, but is it worth the trouble? You’ll be gone for at least half a day."

"Khan, give me an hour," I said confidently.

"That’s not possi—" Khan began, but I cut him off.

"I just did it," I said, emphasizing the fact that I had already covered an hour’s journey in minutes.

Khan looked at me, confused and shocked. "You just sat here, okay?" I said firmly.

"Okay," Khan exhaled, reluctantly agreeing.

I took off running again, my mind racing as I tried to remember the address of the store where I’d seen the sword. "Where is it?" I hissed under my breath, scanning the streets frantically. Then I saw it. "Well, I guess luck is on my side," I muttered, grinning.

I stopped in front of the store, but the scene inside gave me pause. People were fighting over weapons, their desperation palpable. Among them, I spotted someone eyeing the same sword I was after. My heart raced as I lunged for it, but the young man grabbed it just before I could.

I backed up quickly, my eyes darting around for another weapon. I spotted a katana to my left, and without hesitation, I grabbed it, unsheathing the blade in one swift motion. I pointed it at the man, the steel glinting in the dim light.

"Give me the sword," I demanded, my voice cold and unwavering, ready for whatever might happen next.